Portable collapsible backstop for baseball practice



May 18, 1965 w. HILBRlcH PORTABLE COLLAPSIBLE BACKSTOP FOR BASEBALLPRACTICE Filed April 8, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

JNVENTOR. BYLAWRENCE VV.

HILBRICH FIG. 6

May 18, 1965 1 w. HILBRlcH 3,184,235

PORTABLE coLLAPsIBLE BACKSTOP FOR BASEBALL PRACTICE Filed April 8, 19635 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. LAWRENCE W. BY HlLBRlcH.

May 18, 1965 w. HlLBRlcH PORTABLE COLLAPSIBLE BACKSTOP FOR BASEBALLPRACTICE Filed April 8, 1965 3 'Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. LAWRENCE @4MHILBRICH.

FIG. 5

United States Patent 3,184,235 PGRTABLE COLLAPSHBLE BACKSTOP FR BASEBALLPRACTICE Lawrence W. Hiibrich, 608 Lafayette St., Griffith, Ind. FiledApr. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 271,248 7 Claims. (Cl. 273-26) This invention isprimarily designed to ll the urgent need of managers and coaches olf boybaseball teams who find their practices curtailed by the lack of backstopped playing fields.

One of the principal objects of this backstop is to provide a devicewhich will immediately convert any field or playground of adequate sizeinto a practice field. Conventional backstops for baseball use aregenerally constructed of heavy wire screen secured to posts of wood ormetal and anchored permanently in the playing field. Such backstops arenecessarily expensive to construct, and once constructed limit the useIof the field because the permanency of construction hinders the freeuse of the field. The point to be emphasized here is that this inventioninstantly converts any eld, even a pasture where it is hardlyconceivable that a permanent backstop of conventional constructionNvould be practicable, into a practice Y field.

A further object of this invention is to provide a readily portablebackstop wherein the entire assemblage is light in weight, easilyerected and collapsible, and capable of easy handling by one man. In thecollapsed state this device has a circumference of less than 24 inchesand is readily transportable in any automobile trunk or even under onesarm.

single operating lever, placement or removal of the bipod,

and mounting or dismounting of the corded net.

A further object of this invention is to provide the safety of abackstop with a co-rded net which absorbs the impact of the ball thuseliminating recoil Aor bounce back into the receiver, batter or otherplayer in the immediate proximity of the net. n

A feature of this invention relates to a novel backstop device operatedon the principle of an inverted umbrella thus facilitating its easyerection and collapsibility by the operation of a single lever.

Not being exposed to weather the year around as are all stationary orpermanent backstops this device will give unlimited service.

With this device it is possible to give individual attention to boysWithisolated problems, without monopolizing the entire field and thestandard large fixed backstop located thereon. The regular squadpractice may proceed unhampered while a coach may take aside one or moreboys, quickly erecting our portable backstop and giving them undividedattention with their individual problems.

This feature makes our device especially useful to high school orcollege coaches handling large squads.

A further object of this invention is to provide readily availablebackstops for picnic groups, boy scout camps and outings.

FIGURE 1 depicts the complete backstop in operational position viewedfrom the rear, suspending heavy nylon corded net from four arms.

FIGURE 2 is a view thru section of the operating app-aratus.

FIGURE 3 shows the back stop much as it is in FIG- ice URE l except thatit is a front View, with cut-away view of front assembly in openposition.

FIGURE 4 is a drawing of the curved extremity of the suspending armshowing manner of net attachment via hook.

FIGURE 5 shows the backstop in complete collapsed position.

yFIGURE 6 is a detail drawing showing how the bipod is attached.

Referring to FXGURES l, 2, 3 and 5, a piston 4 is inserted within acylinder 5. These parts are preferably of circular cross section.Support arms 2 are attached to the end of the cylinder 2. Arm braces 3are attached at one end to the support arms i?. and at the other end tothe end of the piston 4. An operating lever 7 has one end attached tothe piston 4. A toggle lever 7 is attached at one end to the piston 4and the other end to the operating lever 6. The support arms 2, armbraces 3, and levers 6 and 7 are attached to each other and to thecylinder and piston by hinges 1t) as shown.

In FIGURE l the detachable bipod support 8 is shown. The bipod isattached to main assembly by means of an insert hook which enters intoan appropriate opening in the cylinder end.

The bipod 8 must be constructed of lightweight pipe or channel iron ofsuicient tensile strength to afford adequate sup-port.

rThe arms 2 as in FIGURES l, 2, 3, 4 and 5 must also be made oflightweight pipe or channel iron of sufficient strength to support netand give lasting service.

Operation-Opening or collapsing the backstop is perform-ed basically bythe simple movement of the operating lever 6. In the closed or collapsedpositionthe operating lever lies forward parallel with the support arms2. The arms 2 are all drawn closely together in cluster approximately 24inches in circumference.

To erect or open pull Aback on operating lever 6. This action causes thepiston 4 to be drawn back into the cylinder 5 simultaneously opening orspreading the arms 2, until the operating lever 6 li-es back in a lockedposition parallel with and resting upon top surface of cylinder 5 andthe arms 2 spread wide to the full open position, FIGURES l and 3. rl`henet is then hooked into the net hooks 9 which are yattached to thecurved ends of the suspending arms 2 as in FIGURE. 1. The final detailis to attach the :bipod 8 by inserting the curved insert vfinger at theapex of bipod 8 into the round opening in the end of the cylinder 5 thuscompleting the erection, FIGURES 1 and 3. The simplicity Ot oper-ationis such that one man can perform the cycle in l5 seconds. To take downor collapse proceed in reverse order 3-2-1.

While I have shown and described specific embodiments of the presentinvention, it will of course be evident that many and variousmodifications and alternative constructions may be made withoutdeparting from the true 'spirit and scope thereof. Thus, I intend by theappended claims to cover all such modifications and alternativeconstructions as come within their true spirit and scope.

I claim: l. A portable collapsible backstop device comprising -a hollowcylinder, a piston having a part adapted for movement within thecylinder, `a plurality of support arms and means hinging them to thecylinder, a plurality of arm braces and means `hinging each at one endto the piston and at the other end to one of the support arms, anoperating lever and means hinging it to the cylinder,

between a closed position and an open erect position;

the closed position being with said part of the piston generallyextended from the cylinder and the support arms projecting in a clusternear the axial line ,of`V the piston and cylinder with the outer ends ofthev the same dijreef.Y

supportarms beyond the cylinder in tion as the piston extends; Y theerected position being with said part of the 'piston drawn into thecylinder Aand the support arms spread wide, with the plane formed by theouter Yends of the 2. A backstop device according 'to claim 1, wherein`said operating lever in the closed position lies forward i' along thepiston, and lin the erected position liesV back;

along the cylinder, lbeing moved substantially 1809 in`V operation fromone position tothe other.

, 3. A portable collapsible backstop device comprising a hollowcylinder, a piston having a part adapted for movement vwithin thecylinder, a plurality of lsupport arms and means hinging themfto thecylinder, a plurality.

of arm braces and means hinging each at one end to the piston and atvthe other end to one of the support arms,y Y an operating lever andmeans hinging lit to `the cylinder, a toggle lever and means hinging itat one end 'to the operating lever and at the other end to the piston;

so constructed and arranged that the operating lever is adapted formanual operation tofmove the toggle lever which moves the .piston withinthe cylinder, which inV turn -moves lthe armV braces and support arms,between a closed position and an open erect.'-

position; e

the closed position being with said partrof the vpiston generallyextended from the cylinder and. the `supf port arms projecting in acluster near the axial line of the piston and cylinder with the outerends of the support arms beyond the cylinder in the same direction asthe piston extends;

the erected position beingv with said part of the piston drawn into'thecylinder and the support arms spread i wide, with the plane formed bythe outer ends ofthe support arms being beyond the forward end of thevsaid operating lever in the closed position lying yfor-V piston; Y

ward along the piston, andrin the erected position lying back along thecylinder, being moved substantially 180 in operation from onev positionto the other; v

support means comprising a bipod with a curved insert finger at its apexwhich is inserted rinto an opening in the rear end ofthe cylinder; v c

and a ball-stopping member whichis attached to the 4 lwhich brings thenet surface to a generally vertical Vposition.

6. A portable collapsible backstop device comprising a rst and a secondmemberV adapted to slide one in the other .along a common laxis,"aplurality of support arms and 'means hingingthein to said iirs't member,a plurality of arm braces and meanshinging each -at one end to saidsecond'm'emberY and Vat the other end to one-of the support arms, anoperating lever and means hinging it to the rst member, a'toggle leverand means'hinging it at one end to the koperating llever and at thelother end to the second member;

. so constructed and arranged that the operating lever is adapted formanual operation'to'move the toggle lever which moves theY second memberrelative to the r'st member, which in turn moves the arm braces andsupport arms between an inactive closed position and y an open erectposition;

'the closed position being'w'ith the 'rst'and 'second members extendedrelative to each other, the erected position being with the first andsecond members drawn partly togethery andthe support arms` spread wide;

ysupportrneans attached vin the erected position to the rear end of thecylinder; v

and a ball-stopping member comprising a net which is attached` by loopslocated on the peripheral winding of the net to net hooks on the outerends of said sup- Y port arms. l v

7.1Arportable collapsible backstop device comprising a first and-a'second`meinber" adapted to slide rone in the lother along. a commonaxis, la plurality of Vsupport arms and means hinging them lto'saidfirst member, a plurality of arm braces and means hinging each at oneend to said Y second member and at the V'other end to 'one of thesupport arms, an'operating lever and means hin'ging-it to the firstmember, a toggle lever and means hinging it at one end to the operatinglever and at thel other end tothe second member; y

so'constructed and arranged that the operating lever is adapted formanual'operation to move the toggle leverwhich moves the second memberrelative` to 'i the fr'st member, which in turn moves the arm'braces andsupport arms betweeny an inactive closed position and an open erectposition; 4 the closedfpositionbeing with the firstY and second membersextended relative to each other; the erected position being with thefirst and second members drawn partly together and the support V`armsspread wide, with the plane `formed by the outer ends of, the supportarms being beyond the forward `vendy of the second member, at least twoof the support arms being used as the forward support of the backstop;support meanscomprising a device having at leastone leg and meansattaching it to vthe rear end of said rst member in theerected positionto form the rear f support of thebackstop; Y and ajball-stopping membercomprising a net which is Vattached to the outer ends of the supportarms in the erected position.

References Cited by the Examiner I Y UNITED STATES lPATENTS 2,661,849Yl2/53 Spalding 211-178 3,001,795 9/61 Johnson 273-26 X DELBERT B; Lowa,PrimaryV Examiner.

6. A PORTABLE COLLAPSIBLE BACKSTOP DEVICE COMPRISING A FIRST AND ASECOND MEMBER ADAPTED TO SLIDE ONE IN THE OTHER ALONG A COMMON AXIS, APLURALITY OF SUPPORT ARMS AND MEANS HINGING THEM TO SAID FIRST MEMBER, APLURALITY OF ARM BRACES AND MEANS HINGING EACH AT ONE END TO SAID SECONDMEMBER AND AT THE OTHER END TO ONE OF THE SUPPORT ARMS, AN OPERATINGLEVER AND MEANS HINGING IT TO THE FIRST MEMBER, A TOGGLE LEVER AND MEANSHINGING IT AT ONE END TO THE OPERATING LEVER AND AT THE OTHER END TO THESECOND MEMBER; SO CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED THAT THE OPERATING LEVER ISADAPTED FOR MANUAL OPERATION TO MOVE THE TOGGLE LEVER WHICH MOVES THESECOND MEMBER RELATIVE TO THE FIRST MEMBER, WHICH IN TURN MOVES THE ARMBRACES AND SUPPORT ARMS BETWEEN AN INACTIVE CLOSED POSITION AND AN OPENERECT POSITION; THE CLOSED POSITION BEING WITH THE FIRST AND SECONDMEMBERS EXTENDED RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, THE ERECTED POSITION BEING WITHTHE FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS DRAWN PARTLY TOGETHER AND THE SUPPORT ARMSSPREAD WIDE; SUPPORT MEANS ATTACHED IN THE ERECTED POSITION TO THE REAREND OF THE CYLINDER; AND A BALL-STOPPING MEMBER COMPRISING A NET WHICHIS ATTACHED BY LOOPS LOCATED ON THE PERIPHERAL WINDING OF THE NET TO NETHOOKS ON THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID SUPPORT ARMS.